Tips For Entering The World Of Gun Dogs

A while back, in the comments section of a post I did on the pros and cons of buying a started dog reader jcarlin asked:

My gun dog experience is limited to hunting over my beagle, who was a rescue, hunts largely by instinct and by the introduction a past owner had given him. I really think I’d enjoy bird hunting over a dog, but never had. What path should an ignorant man like myself take towards owning a bird dog? Training your first pup seems like a good intro for the handler. Buying a started pup with no handling experience will likely lead to a flustered me and a completely puzzled dog who is looking to me for commands.